Booger McFarland Talks Latest LSU, NFL Storylines

ESPN’s Booger McFarland joins OTB to talk LSU-Florida and NFL action, starting with the hype leading up to Saturday’s tilt.

“It’s a different feel on campus, in the classroom,” McFarland said. “(Fans) want to really see if LSU is for real. It will be the first time that (LSU)… is matched up with athletes who can match their athleticism man-to-man.”

In Monday’s San Francisco vs. Cleveland game, McFarland left with more questions than answers for the Browns.

“Cleveland is a little bit of a mystery,” McFarland said. “They’re still trying to figure out what their identity is.”

“Any time you fire a coach and you get a new voice in the room, the team plays a bit better,” “I’d probably lean toward the Redskins.”

McFarland was impressed with Teddy Bridgewater’s play with the Saints so far, and he says it bodes well for the Saints’ future.

“Teddy Bridgewater is in the same category as Jacoby Brisett,” McFarland said. “He could have started somewhere this year. I think, if you’re a Saints fan, you’re going to get a glimpse of what it looks like when Sean Payton and Teddy Bridgewater walk down the aisle together.”

The NFC West is shaping up to be a hotbed division this year, McFarland said.

“I still think that the Rams are the most explosive team,” McFarland said. “The only thing that bothers me is the Rams on defense. Seattle and San Francisco have an identity, and, right now, Russell Wilson is the MVP. I’m not going to say the Rams are an afterthought, but I wouldn’t be surprised if three teams from that division make the playoffs.

In regards to the NFC North, McFarland said the leader is more clear-cut.

McFarland shared his thoughts on Tyler Shelvin and where he can end up in the history of LSU football’s great defensive talents.

“I think he can be a really good player,” McFarland said. “Dominant players play consistently, and they dominate over the course of the game. He’s got a lot of talent; everybody’s always known that. His ability to play consistently… will determine where he goes down in the history (of great LSU defensive players).”